South Africans rubbish text row claims

South African cricket officials have rubbished claims that their players provoked the text message row that led to the axing of the England batsman Kevin Pietersen.

Pietersen was dropped for the final Test and a one-day international series against South Africa and the World Twenty20 tournament after allegedly criticising England captain Andrew Strauss in texts to South African players.

The England and Wales Cricket Board's chief executive David Collier claimed yesterday that the Pietersen texts were a response to messages from the opposition.

But Cricket South Africa's acting chief executive Jacques Faul said he had a face-to-face meeting with Collier during the Lord's test in London and he did not raise this allegation then.